Ecclesiastes 9

1 So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.

All this I took to heart, and my heart saw it all: that the upright and the wise and their works are in the hand of God; and men may not be certain if it will be love or hate; all is to no purpose before them.

2 It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow.

Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it.

3 This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead.

This is evil in all things which are done under the sun: that there is one fate for all, and the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; while they have life their hearts are foolish, and after that — to the dead.

4 There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.

For him who is joined to all the living there is hope; a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.

The living are conscious that death will come to them, but the dead are not conscious of anything, and they no longer have a reward, because there is no memory of them.

6 Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.

Their love and their hate and their envy are now ended; and they have no longer a part for ever in anything which is done under the sun.

7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works:

Come, take your bread with joy, and your wine with a glad heart. God has taken pleasure in your works.

8 Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.

Let your clothing be white at all times, and let not your head be without oil.

9 Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun.

Have joy with the woman of your love all the days of your foolish life which he gives you under the sun. Because that is your part in life and in your work which you do under the sun.

10 Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. (Sheol h7585)

Whatever comes to your hand to do with all your power, do it because there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the place of the dead to which you are going. (Sheol h7585)

11 I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.

And again I saw under the sun that the reward goes not to him who is quick, or the fruits of war to the strong; and there is no bread for the wise, or wealth for men of learning, or respect for those who have knowledge; but time and chance come to all.

12 For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.

Even man has no knowledge of his time; like fishes taken in an evil net, or like birds taken by deceit, are the sons of men taken in an evil time when it comes suddenly on them.

13 I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:

This again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.

14 There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it.

There was a little town and the number of its men was small, and there came a great king against it and made an attack on it, building works of war round about it.

15 Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

Now there was in the town a poor, wise man, and he, by his wisdom, kept the town safe. But no one had any memory of that same poor man.

16 And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing.

17 The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools.

The words of the wise which come quietly to the ear are noted more than the cry of a ruler among the foolish.

18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

Wisdom is better than instruments of war, but one sinner is the destruction of much good.